{"id":67165,"date":"2026-09-04T09:33:52","date_gmt":"2026-09-04T07:33:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ecobnb.com\/blog\/?p=67165"},"modified":"2026-09-04T09:34:00","modified_gmt":"2026-09-04T07:34:00","slug":"eco-pioneer-sri-lanka-journey-sustainable-hospitality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ecobnb.com\/blog\/2026\/09\/eco-pioneer-sri-lanka-journey-sustainable-hospitality\/","title":{"rendered":"Eco Pioneer in Sri Lanka: A Journey Towards Sustainable Hospitality"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

From a wake-up call about waste to a complete rethink of everyday hospitality, Annabel Allen shares her journey towards making her villa in Sri Lanka a more sustainable place for people and nature.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

My eco-awakening in Sri Lanka started with a jolt. In early 2020, I discovered a circle of discarded items strewn on the earth. Old shoes, plastic bottles, plastic wrappers\u2026 a whole load of toxic waste. This was rubbish accumulated from guests who had stayed at my villa. It was about to be burned by my staff. I shouted at them to come over so I could explain the problem. By the time they arrived, an audience of neighbours was lurking on the other side of the fence. How could anyone want to burn this kind of waste and leave the ashes in the ground? My angry approach totally backfired – the staff and neighbours thought I was crazy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Later I realised I needed to take a quieter, more patient approach. The problem was the lack of regular waste collection. In the countryside in Sri Lanka, homes and businesses are not on the regular route of the government-run garbage trucks. The local public health inspectors advise everyone to burn or bury their rubbish in their gardens. However, I wanted to find a better solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Discovering the Land<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Wild
Photo by Annabel Bell<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I started to spend more time on my property, getting acquainted with my land. Previously, I had only come on fleeting visits and left my staff to manage the guests and land. Due to the Covid pandemic, my staff left, never to return. I stayed to take charge. As I wandered around the jungle on my land, I came across piles of rubbish. Empty alcohol bottles, plastic containers, and bags had been flung into the jungle bushes with no thought for the wildlife, the earth, and the reality that the rubbish was not biodegradable. Most devastating was my discovery of several empty bottles with big labels that read \u201cPoison.\u201d It was some kind of deadly pesticide<\/a>. I was shocked. Gradually, with the help of others, the rubbish was gathered in one shed. It waited there while I worked out what to do. I made a firm decision that no more chemical pesticides would ever be used on my land<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I contacted a local eco entrepreneur who ran a small recycling centre. He had a refreshing approach. He told me that not far from my place was the largest recycling plant in Sri Lanka. In late 2020 a man came to work for me who was eager to help. He arranged for the mountains of rubbish to be collected and taken to the recycling plant<\/strong>. What a relief! Since then, I have reformed the whole rubbish system for my property. The starting point is with me. How could I reduce my rubbish?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rethinking Everyday Habits<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"The
Photo by Annabel Bell<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

After a total rethink, I changed my habits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n